Author: Sammi Coppedge

Sammi is a twentysomething residing in Indianapolis. Sammisays.com is a place to showcase pieces of her life, as well as to share what she is most passionate about. Sammi mostly writes about issues twentysomethings face, as well as other lifestyle topics such as travel, careers, relationships and more.

2017.

It’s been a whirlwind.

I can think of so many words to describe this year – Humbling. Terrifying. Exciting. Successful. Demanding. Enchanting. Frustrating.

So many words to describe only 365 days, but yet, I wouldn’t change a single thing about this year for the world. In 2017, I’ve accomplished so much. It was the year that I graduated from college, accepted my first full-time job, moved home with my parents and begun a new chapter in my life. Though it’s been a large topic of discussion on my blog in the past year, I finally feel like everything is coming together and know that in 2018, the tone of my blog may shift slightly as my worries, desires and accomplishments continuously evolve, too.

As I look back on yet another incredible year, I decided to tell this year’s story in a slightly different manner than I am used to. Instead of writing an in-depth lookat my year, I decided to pick one Instagram post from each month that I felt best depicted my year.

Looking forward to 2018, I hope to progress in my professional and personal capabilities, travel to new places and to continued sense of fulfillment.

Earlier in the year, as I approached my impending college graduation, I felt as if I had life figured out. I had a job offer from a great company, I was moving back to my hometown of Indianapolis; I knew which direction my life was headed in. However, there was a looming feeling I couldn’t shake: I wanted to find a way to make my post-grad life count. I wanted to do something that mattered. As cliche as it sounds, I wanted to find a way to make my life meaningful outside of my full-time job.

Posing with a sign as part of BBBSCI and Eli Lilly’s campaign in September to raise awareness of the organization

For these reasons, I decided to start volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI). This national, highly-respected organization pairs an adult and child together to form a mentor relationship. Since their beginnings in 1904, the organization has formed thousands of relationships that have been linked to higher graduation rates, academic achievements, positive family relationships and more.

From the moment I began the process, I couldn’t wait to get started. Though it was at times meticulous, stretching over the course of a few months, I knew I was joining a great organization. Following the interview process, BBBSCI formally accepted me into their program. This meant that I would attend “big sister” training and then I would be paired with a “little sister”.

One thing I love about BBBSCI is they actually take the time to pair bigs and littles together who will be compatible. They explained to me that this process can sometimes stretch another few months, depending on location, interests and other personality traits. For me, this meant waiting another 2 months before I was finally paired with my little sister.

When I got the call, I was beyond excited. After reading an in-depth description of my little sister, her family and other noteworthy items, I knew that BBBSCI had found the perfect match for me – I couldn’t wait to get started!

My little sister, Olivia, and I are during our match introduction (August 2017).

As a big sister in this program, we hold a number of responsibilities. We meet with our little sisters on a consistent basis each month, typically ranging from 2-4 outings. Each pair has several match goals and “thriving indicators”. During our outings, we do a number of different activities. Not only do we ensure they are fun (very important!) but we also want to make sure these activities help the little sister grow, as well as help the match grow in their mentor relationship. All pairs are also required to participate in one volunteer activity a year.

Not to mention, BBBSCI does a wonderful job at finding low-cost and unique opportunities for matches. Every month, we receive updates of activities and exclusive programming, as well as have access to hundreds of outing ideas on the “Big App”.

Though I’m still at the beginning of my journey with BBBSCI, I am so thankful I found such a meaningful and impactful organization to participate in. I’m looking forward to many more great years to come!

If I’m being honest, I spent my 22nd birthday in the most melodramatic way possible – complaining over the fact that I was turning 22. Like most things when you’re young, it seems ridiculous in retrospect. I’m embarrassed to admit it – but I spent a large majority of the months leading up to 22 dreading it. Perhaps because, like the store, I wanted to be “forever 21” or maybe 22 was simply the first birthday that seemed “not so fun”, either way, I was dreading the day.

Picture on my 22nd birthday (2016)

However, I quickly found how young I actually was – and ever so ironically – began to dread turning 23.

Now that I’m 23 (and 20 hours into it so clearly an expert on the topic of being 23), I’m no longer dreading being another year older. In fact, 23 still sounds extremely young so I’m just grateful for another year in my early-twenties.

This year, I promise myself to stop dreading growing older and the inevitable passage of time and instead, will enjoy the next 365 days while they’re still here.

When I take the time to think about it, I find it funny how we spent so much of our lives dreading and fearing the future, instead of simply living in the moment – where’s the quality of life in that? As with many people, my fear of the future stems from my fear of the unknown. However, with age, I’ve only found more happiness – so why are we so quick to fear that?

Picture on my 23rd birthday (2017)

22 was truly one of the best years of my life. While I’m sad to see such a wonderful chapter in my life come to a close, I know that if 23 is even half as great as 22 was, I’ll have an incredible year. However, if I’ve learned anything from the passage of time it’s this: great things will continue to happen.

For these reasons, I can’t wait for my 23rd year. I’m looking forward to settling into my semi-new life as an adult and experiencing all of the great things that will come with that, as well as experiencing all of the things I can’t yet foresee (the future doesn’t have to be so scary). This is why I think my Jordan year will be the best yet.

Until next time,
Sammi

P.S. – for those of you who don’t know, your ‘Jordan Year’ is your 23rd year – it symbolizes Michael Jordan’s jersey number – so obviously it’s going to be great.

August: If you’ve read my blog in the past 9 months, then you know that my senior year started off with a bang. From traveling 4,000+ miles to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to attending the 2016 Summer Olympics and spending three weeks in a different country with great friends, by far my favorite memory from this month was the travel and new opportunities and adventures afforded to me. To top it off, I begun the adventure of senior year and celebrated my 22nd birthday.

September: September was all about celebrating and spending time with my sorority sisters in Sigma Kappa. From beginning my second semester as chapter president to participating in my fourth formal recruitment, I enjoyed every second spent with the closest friends I made while at Ball State. Not to mention, I was able to watch one of my closest friends, Rachel, excel at VP of Membership and met a wonderful friend, our chapter Leadership Consultant, Becca Armstrong.

October: One of my favorite memories of senior year was spending a night in Broad Ripple with a few of my best friends and visiting one of my favorite bars, Brick House, for the first time. Also in October, my friends and I participated in my fourth Walk to End Alzheimer’s in downtown Indianapolis and spent an afternoon at Tuttle Orchards. There, we enjoyed apple cider slushies, pumpkin picking and some of the freshest apples I’ve ever tasted.

November: Every year, one of my favorite parts of November is the memories I make with my family. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday (though many people ask me why that is) for the fact that it’s all about spending time with family and friends without expecting anything in return. This year, the best part of Thanksgiving may have been nearly drinking an entire punch bowl of whisky with my cousin, Sabrina, and drinking one-too-many fireball shots the day after at Four Day Ray Brewing in Fishers.

December: Moving into my favorite month of the year, December was filled with a lot of sweet memories, too. From participating in my first Dittoe PR Christmas bar crawl to Christmas celebrations with my family to New Year’s Eve festivities with my best friend, Megan, I was ready to welcome in 2017. Like every NYE, it’s always saddening to see such a wonderful year go, I knew that this new year would definitely be one of the best yet (and it hasn’t proven itself wrong yet, either).January: January, like it is every year, proved itself to be a somewhat boring month. Despite beginning my last semester at Ball State, nothing out of the ordinary happened this month. I was able to spend more quality time with my friends and even got to enjoy some warm weather (which reaffirmed my belief in global warming, to my dismay). Coming off the high that was Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s (collectively my favorite time of the year), I would still say all-in-all it was a great month. I also spent some time curled up on my couch in my new blanket watching some of my favorite TV shows and movies on Netflix.

February: Unlike the month before, this month was somewhat more exciting. For one, I spent Valentine’s Day with two of my best friends, where we made a special dinner of baked spaghetti, wine and dessert. I had the opportunity to travel to Sigma Kappa National Headquarters and meet 20+ sisters from across the nation. Finally, and most importantly, I received the greatest honor of my collegiate career: I was awarded the Greek Life Chapter President of the Year award at our annual “grand chapter” awards ceremony. It was such a honor to be recognized for my hard work in 2016 and to represent Sigma Kappa in front of BSU.

March: March brought a much-needed month of relaxation and surprises. Kicking off the month, I went on a five-day cruise with one of my best friends, Rachel. Not only was it my first cruise, but it was also my first time in the Bahamas and Key West. Additionally, I was extended a full-time job offer as an Account Coordinator with Dittoe Public Relations, where I had been interning for the past year.

April: I began the last full month as a college student with a bang. From my final sorority formal to fun nights out with friends to a trip to Washington, D.C., this month was by far one of my favorite of senior year. I also spent a fun day with my family at a winery and out to lunch at the Fashion Mall. By the time May rolled around, I was definitely sad to see this month go but grateful for such a wonderful year!

Well, it’s official: I’ve been terrible keeping up with blog posts this semester.

In my defense, I’ve been soaking up and enjoying the last four months of my collegiate career (and my youth, depending on who you ask). I’ve always been a person who appreciates each day (or at least I feel that way) so I can’t be too upset about enjoying my days and the little things rather than getting wrapped up in writing blog posts. Though, I do have several drafts that never quite made it published so, hey, at least I tried? I promise I’ll get better now that I’m an almost-boring-adult.

Nevertheless, I have a lot of exciting changes happening in the next 30 days.

My decorated cap for my upcoming graduation.

For one, I’ll be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations on May 6. After four long, grueling but amazing years, I will finally have a diploma to prove all of my hard work. It’s hard to believe how fast four years flew by (check out ‘Changes’ a blog post I wrote almost 4 years ago exactly that is eerily similar to this one) and how difficult it is going to be to say goodbye to the best school, friends and memories I could have ever asked for. However, I know that my sadness is no more than a testament to how great my time has been.

Mom and Dad during their Ball State years. Ever since I could remember, I knew I wanted to attend BSU.

The craziest part about graduating to me is that it is finally happening. It’s one of those things I never spent a lot of time thinking about (as everyone says college is the best time of your life, so why would I think about leaving?) so it’s weird to know that in just a few weeks, it WILL be real. I’ll finally get to join my parents in saying I’m an alumna of Ball State University, almost 30 years exactly after they did.

I’ll also be starting a full-time job at Dittoe Public Relations mid-May as an Account Coordinator. By far, this is the most exciting part about the newest chapter in my life. I’m excited to take the first step in my professional career and join a company that I love so much.

Another change for me will be moving back home with my mom and dad, or as I now affectionally call them, my roommates. I’m also guessing this new change in particular will warrant a blog post or two. Regardless, I’m thankful that I have a place and people who will let me move back in (temporarily) to save up some money until I can land on my own two feet.

Most importantly, I’m thankful for all of the opportunities and experiences I’ve been afforded throughout the years. The great and fond memories I have only make me more excited for all of the amazing things that I know lie ahead of me. So, here’s to the future and taking my first “big” leap. I’ll leave with my all-time favorite quote:

Last week, I read a blog post called “Dear Daughter: Here’s why I didn’t march for you“. If you saw my Facebook post in reaction to it, then you’ll know I was immediately infuriated by such post. So, as a writer, what do I decide to do? Write a reaction to the post, of course.

I could say a lot of things about this post. I could go on and on about how infuriating it was to read all of the ways this women believes there is gender equality. I could discuss how my fury heightened when this author explained why she believes women are paid less than men. However, I won’t – because that is what my Facebook post was for. You see, for me this isn’t about politics, it’s about equality. It’s about equality for all women – for all people – to have the freedom to choose what they want to do, who they want to be and what they want to believe in, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, political party, socioeconomic status, etc.

So, instead of getting angry, I wrote a letter. Much like the author from the blog post did, I wrote a letter to my future daughter, but this time, explaining why I did march for her.

Dear (future) daughter,

At this moment, it’s hard for me to imagine who you are. I don’t know what your name is, what you look like, or who you are. In fact, I’m just a 22-year-old who, when thinks of becoming a parent one day, struggles to imagine what that would even be like (and wonders how I will even manage to survive the pains of child birth). However, whoever you are or whoever you become, there are a few things that I want you to know.

Women are not equal. They say we are. They say we can do anything that a man can. They say that if we work hard, dream big and never quit, we’ll reach the same levels that any man can. But they aren’t right. Yes, women can vote. Yes, women can obtain a post-secondary education, secure a corporate-level job at a Fortune 500 company and even become the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. Women can even run for president – in fact, one did just a few months ago. But what they are missing is that women aren’t equal to men.

You see, a woman only makes 80 cents on every dollar that a man makes. Only 4% of CEOS are female in the United States. We live in a world where, if a woman is raped, she is asked how much she had to drink that night, or how short her skirt is. But when a man rapes and is charged with the crime, his sentence is shortened because he has a “bright future” ahead of him (begging the question; did the woman he raped not have a future ahead of her?). We live in a world where more people would prefer voting for a male sex predator than a woman.

Yes, we live in a world where women can “do anything we want” – unless it includes our bodies, of course. When we get angry, we are asked if we are on our periods, as if our feelings are not valid enough. When we look “nice”, we are asked if we did it for a man, as if we could never look this way for ourselves. When we choose to have children, we are told our “time off” (as if it is some vacation) may not be covered by our company, leaving us without pay and financial means to take care of our families.

Yet, being a woman is a privilege. I’ll teach you one day that not every person has that privilege. You may someday ask me why the girl in your class used to be a boy, and now wears dresses. I’ll teach you that every person is different, and that we can’t judge them for not being the same as us. You may ask why some people have two moms or two dads, but that you have one of each. I’ll tell you about that, too. I’ll teach you that being a woman is great because not everyone has the freedoms that you and I do.

I’ll teach you about all of the great women in history who have moved mountains and made great strides in equality. Of course, I’ll tell you about the Women’s March of 2017, the one where I was just a 22-year-old without a clue of what direction I was going to take my life in, but the time when I watched with amazement as millions of women around the world stood up for what is right. By the time you read this, I can only hope that the world is different. Maybe you’ll even ask what the word “feminist” is , and when I tell you, you’ll say: but isn’t everyone a feminist, Mom?

You see, I was apart of the Women’s March movement, not because I, myself, face immense amounts of discrimination, inequality or disdain on a daily basis, but because other women do. I have insurance and can afford to see my doctors on a regular basis, so I may not be as heavily impacted if Planned Parenthood were to be defunded, but I can tell you that thousands of other women would be. I am a minority in that I am a woman, but not in my sexual orientation, race or religion. In those, I am about as “privileged” as they come, but not all women are. You see, society tells us that if we dress racy, we are “sluts”, but when Muslim women practice modesty, they are told they are terrorists. The bottom line is that some women may feel equal, but not all women are.

What I’m trying to say is that when I marched, I didn’t do it for myself, rather, I did it for all women. For future women. For past women. I marched for those who marched in 1920 for women’s voting rights. I marched for those women who marched in 1973 for the right to choose. I marched for the women who may march 20 years from now for reasons we don’t know yet. I marched not because I feel women have no rights, but because we don’t have full rights. I marched because I want all people of all different backgrounds to be equal.

More importantly, I marched for you. I marched for my future daughter(s), so that one day, you don’t have to.

I have a very long, like extremely long, laundry list of things I want to do in my life – a bucket list, if you will. I aspire to visit all 50 states, publish a book, have my writing published for a national magazine/outlet, obtain my Master’s Degree, become a Vice President (or higher!) of a company and, of course, a whole lot of other things.

Regardless, I think it’s important to be able to look back and reflect on the things you have accomplished as you work your way towards the things you want to accomplish. While I have not done everything, I hope to be able to one day. So, here’s a look back at a few things I’ve already accomplished in my 22 years.

1. Attended the Olympics

I can’t begin the list and not start off by mentioning my most amazing, international (and sometimes, still unbelievable) adventure. About 5 months ago, I set sail (or really, boarded an airplane) to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to spend 3 weeks in the 2016 Summer Olympics host city. I was afforded this opportunity by my university, and was able to both immerse myself in the culture and the city of Brazil, while also taking part in the fun that was the Olympics. I was able to visit Brazilian landmarks, such as Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer, as well as three Olympic games.

Not only was this my first trip outside of the United States, but it was my first Olympics, my first South American adventure and my first multi-week-long trip. While I’m sure I’ll do plenty more interesting things in my life, this may always be the best. If you want to hear more about my Rio adventures, check out my blog post on the experience!

At the Men’s Gymnastics meet in Rio

On top of Christ the Reedemer

In front of Sugarlaof Mountain on my way up

2. Obtained my Bachelor’s Degree

So, technically, I’m don’t have my Bachelor’s Degree yet, but I’m only four months shy of it. Therefore, I’ve already put in the bulk of the work. Not to mention, my application to graduate has also already been approved.

I decided to include this milestone because, as I quickly approach my degree, I’ve increasingly found how impressive it truly is to be able to graduate from college. Growing up, I never thought much of a college degree. Where I’m from, it’s something that you simply do, not always something that you work towards. However, as the years have gone on, and the more I’ve realized how many people don’t have the opportunity to attend college or simply don’t finish their degree, I’ve grown to appreciate and value my education more. I think finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in 4 years – without ever once changing my major or minor – is a pretty impressive feat.

3. Wrote the president (and got a response!)

When I was nine in third grade, our class read a book on the president of the United States. In this book, it discussed how American citizens could write the president. With a pencil and a piece of paper, I wrote a letter to President George W. Buh at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Though I have no idea what was in that letter, to my surprise, I received a response from the president just a few months later. This was only the beginning of my love for government and civic duty.

4. Graduated high school at an NFL stadium

I don’t think many people can say they graduated high school at the same stadium their favorite NFL team plays at every Sunday. However, I certainly can! My high school graduation was held at Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. While high school graduation is already an accomplishment and excitement in itself, I have to say it was pretty awesome to be able to walk out onto the field feeling like Andrew Luck (with a little less of a crowd). If you want to read a really old, but still well-written post, check out “Changes”, a blog post I wrote a few weeks after high school graduation.

June 8, 2013. Graduation at Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Colts!)

5. Had dinner with the 48th Vice President of the United States

My senior year of high school I was apart of a government debate team of sorts called “We the People”. Like many other students who found themselves in that class, I was interested in government and found myself wanting to learn more about our Constitution. Appropriately, my time in this organization fell during the 2012 Presidential Election, also the first time I could legally vote.

That year, congressperson Mike Pence was running for Governor of Indiana. He and his family relocated from Washington, D.C. to Indianapolis for his gubernatorial race. So, my senior year, his daughter, Audrey, enrolled in my high school, as well as my “We the People” class. Political beliefs aside, that year during his election, Mike Pence visited our weekly practices and even mentored my team one-on-one at one practice. After our competition season was over, Mike Pence and his family had our entire class over for dinner in the Governor’s Mansion he had recently moved in to.

Though I can’t say I agree with the things that Vice President Elect, Mike Pence, does, I did think it was pretty cool when he became our next Vice President and I realized I once had dinner at his home. (Strangely enough – I didn’t get a picture with VP Pence. However, you can see a bit of his head in the background in the second picture). You can also check out my experience with Mike Pence by reading this old blog post, “Sweet Home Indiana”.

If you know me, you know how much I love holidays. I frequently warn people that I tell everyone, “(insert any holiday) is my favorite holiday”, oftentimes confusing others. However, I really, truly do love almost every holiday out there. I think what I like so much about these special days are the traditions that come with them.

For my family, I like to think that we are tradition-heavy, with quite a few quirky things we always do for the holidays. One of them is our New Year’s Day dinner. For as long as I can remember, my maternal grandmother would host my family at her place for a dinner of corned beef and cabbage. Of course, throughout the years, we’ve added a few other side dishes, like mashed potatoes, carrots and wine (lots and lots of it).

Though not the least bit Irish in any way, our family has latched onto this Irish holiday to say the least. According to Irish folklore, eating corned beef and cabbage on New Year’s Day brings good luck and prosperity to the new year. For me, it brings a full and happy stomach from a favorite meal I only get to eat once a year.

Apparently, eating pork or beef on the start of the new year is good luck because those animals do not scratch in the dirt for the food. Moreover, these ancient folklores say that eating chicken on New Year’s Day is unlikely, as you are “setting your destiny” for the new year to scratching in the dirt for your survival (yikes).

According to my local newspaper, The Indy Star, there are quite a few other foods to bring prosperity into the new year. Ring-shaped food, such as donuts and bagels, signify the year coming full circle and are said to be lucky foods. Never would’ve thought that simply eating your breakfast favorites would bring good fortune to the new year, did ya?

Whole fish are apparently good luck, too. Though, that’s a dish probably NSFH (not safe for home) and one to venture out to a restaurant for if that’s your choosing of lucky foods, as are black eyed peas and any type of pork.

Whatever your choice of lucky foods are this new year, all the “real” luck you’ll need this year are a few solid goals, a positive mindset and determination to make change in your life (re: “5 Secrets to Having the Best Year Ever”). What are your personal favorite traditions for the New Year? Share below!

And don’t forget, follow Sammi Says on Bloglovin’to stay up-to-date with all of my blog posts!

A new year right around the corner means time for resolutions, goals and milestones. For many, a new year means a fresh start. While some scoff at the idea of a New Year’s resolution (re: my 2015 post “This Year, Ditch Your Resolutions”), I can’t deny that there is nothing I love more than an opportunity to begin again. Not to mention, I absolutely can’t pass up the opportunity to set new goals for myself. So this year, I’m sharing 5 secrets for you to implement into your life in 2017 in order to truly have the best year ever.

1. Define your goals

Whatever your goals may be, make sure you define them. If you want a great year, you’ll need great goals to accompany it. You may want to choose one main, overarching goal or 5-7 smaller goals for your year. The key to accomplishing your goals is to set goals that make you excited. What areas of your life need the most attention? What have you been putting off for some time now? I’ve found that passion is my main motivator, so aspire to accomplish the things you are most passionate about.

However, if you don’t achieve your goals, I think it’s important to note that you shouldn’t beat yourself up over any “failed” accomplishments. The important thing is that you find ways to then accomplish those goals, or you learn from them. Bottom line: if you don’t accomplish something, don’t beat yourself up over it.

2. Put the past behind you

A fresh start means no baggage. To truly make this year great, don’t hold onto “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” or anything from the past that is holding you back from accomplishing greatness. This year, commit to not letting your past resurface into your life. One way to accomplish this is every time you start to think of that one (or two) thing from your past that is always coming back to haunt you, start thinking about something else. Don’t let it control you. The past is the past, so let it stay there.

3. Take time out of each day just for you

Ultimately, one of the best things you could ever do for yourself is to take time out of each day just for you. I’m definitely one of those people who needs some “me” time every day, though even if you are a person who thrives on the company of others, consider doing something just for yourself each day. Not only will this potentially help you reach some of those goals you set for yourself, but it will also help you to clear your mind and just relax. With the chaos and busyness of the world, we all need a little time to just do whatever makes us happy and forget about our worries (if only for a second).

4. Integrate healthy habits

Trust me, I am no health guru. However, I do realize that implementing healthy habits into your life will help make you happier, and therefore make your year happier. Oftentimes, we accomplish and realize other things when we are able to take care of ourselves first. Maybe this means implementing a new exercise plan into your daily life, cutting out junk food, taking a multivitamin daily, or even learning to take care of your skin.

5. Focus on the positive

Ultimately, the best secret I can give you to have the best year ever, is to focus on the positive and force any negative distractions out of your life. We all have bad things happen to us, but when has being negative ever gotten someone far? Whatever you have to do to remain positive, do it. Maybe it means writing down three things you are thankful for at the end of each day/each week. Or maybe it means putting a positive spin on the bad things that happen to you.

Good luck, and have the best year ever!

Also, please feel free to share this post with your friends & family and don’t forget to follow me on Bloglovin!

Last time I wrote, I was still in Brazil experiencing the Olympics and acting like a semi-important person (after all, that’s how people made me feel when they found out where I was!) These days, my life isn’t quite as adventurous. However, I’m busy as ever. Between classes, my internship and student organizations, I sometimes wonder if I have time to breathe, though my Netflix account begs to differ (it says I have too much free time).

One aspect of my life that has kept me the busiest is my position as chapter president of my sorority, Sigma Kappa. For the past year, I have been serving as the 2016 president of the Gamma Eta chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority. Just a few short days ago, I passed down the gavel and installed my successor into her new role as 2017 chapter president. Though I am eternally sad to see this position come to an end, I can’t help but be so incredibly thankful for this opportunity my sisters gave me to become their fearless leader this year.

So, as my time as president comes to an end, I thought I’d share with you all the 14 things I learned this year:

1 – The ability to problem solve is one of the best skills that you can have

Whether you believe you are a good problem-solver or not, this is undoubtedly one of the best skills we can possess as humans, regardless of our intended future careers or family lives. We come into problems and conflicts on almost a daily basis. Learning how to make decisions (and sometimes very quickly) as well as finding solutions to problems is one of the best things my presidency has given me. I know this will be a skill I will carry into my future, regardless of what I choose to do.

2 – If being a leader was easy, then everyone would do it

Though I’m not sure who said this quote, it is something that has really resonated with me. It is also something that I’ve said to myself (almost daily) since taking over the presidency last January. I’ve faced difficult decisions, animosity and sometimes backlash. However, whenever I hear this quote I am instantly put at ease. Being a leader isn’t easy, but it is well-worth it. You can’t make everyone like you or your decisions, but if you lead in an ethical and determined manner, then you can make changes that many will appreciate.

3 – Making the “right” choices is rarely easy

Building off my last point, doing the right thing is hardly ever “easy”. This is a skill that I believe also sets leaders apart from others. It’s never easy, nor is it fun, to make that difficult decision and become the “bad guy”. However, I’ve learned how to be able to make these choices even when they seem impossible to make.

4 – Learning to delegate is one of the best things you can do for yourself

This is something that has always been hard for me, whether that be in a job, student organization or even a group project. I like to have control over the situation and always take things upon myself, knowing full well that I can get the job done and get it done right. However, this isn’t always healthy, nor is it fair to other people you may be working with. This year has pushed me outside of my comfort zone to learn how to delegate and trust others to handle the situation.

5 – Confidence is key

My involvement as president has also pushed me to become a more confident individual. I think that whenever you are in a position of leadership you are forced to inherently become more confident. After all, if you aren’t confident in yourself, your abilities and your actions, why would anyone else be?

6 – Never settle for complacency

I think one of the greatest things a leader and a person can do is to always strive to become better. When I think back on my year, pushing forward and always finding ways to improve is something that I definitely think I have excelled in as president. However, it’s something that’s been a long time in coming. This experience has taught me that I should never settle for “good enough”, whether that be professionally or personally.

7 – Most things come to an end, so help to build strong successors and leaders

Unfortunately, most things in life come to an end. Rarely does one person ever hold the same position/title forever. So, it is extremely important that, as individuals, we find ways to cultivate leaders and build up those who will one day take over for us. I think this is a very difficult concept to grasp for many, as sometimes, we’re more focused on control and power than the good of the future. Nevertheless, I believe in this past year, I’ve learned how important it is to instill confidence and necessary skills in those who will one day take over the future. While being a mentee is wonderful, serving as a mentor is an undeniably important skill to possess.

8 – Work hard, celebrate your accomplishments and never give up!

Lastly, one of the most important things we can do as leaders and individuals, I believe, is to work hard and never give up, and at the end, take time to celebrate our accomplishments. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in the work that we do. After all, accomplishments are what make hard work well worth it.